New to Guinea pigs...advice very appreciated!

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

justkimberley

New Born Pup
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Grimsby, UK
Hi, I'm Kim :red.
I am hoping to get two baby Guinea pigs very soon, the same sex so they can be keep each other company. I have been researching all over, and there seems to be so much conflict in terms of the care of guinea pigs, what they need and food they can eat. I don't like jumping into things, so like to get as much info as possible. I'm super excited, we are getting our own place soon so I can finally get some piggies!
I'm not a stranger to keeping pets, just not guinea pigs. We've had dogs, an African land snail, fish, a rabbit and a hamster.

I've got a couple of questions I'd really really appreciate some guinea pig expert advice on please.
1) I was wondering if anyone could post a list of everything I need to buy before getting the guinea pigs.
2) Which sex have specific care needs, I have read boys need more care than girls?
3) Any other general advice you have found helps you with your guinea pigs


I really appreciate any help and advice,

Kim
 
You need a cage that is atleast 119 x 59 x 47 cm (L x W x H) or a Large hutch. You also need a run for your pigs to have playtime either on the floor or outside or on the grass. You will need hay- avoid using wood shavings as this causes breathing problems etc. You will need dried food and fresh veggies everyday with a good supply of fresh water. They will also need a bed/ hidey hole. I would have girls as I've had quite a few male pairs that have fallen out and it does mean finding a new cage and new partners (but this isnt always so).
Be prepared if you choose to buy a guinea pig with long hair make sure your going to have the time to groom and maintain their hair. I found sitting beside my piggies cages whilst they eat so they get used to my presence really rewarding as they get alot braver when your around when they are older.
I would also strongly recommend you check out your local animal shelters and consider adopting guinea pigs as there are already lots of guinea pigs searching for a home that would make equally wonderful pets.
 
Hi and welcome! It is great that you are doing your research beforehand!

We could help you a lot more if we knew in which general area of the world you are located, so we can give you the appropriate advice, links and - if possible - local recommendations straight away. They differ considerably depending on which country or region you are from. You can add your state (US) or general area (UK) to your details in private messages (on top bar)/my settings/edit profile/location.

If you can, please get your guinea pigs from a good rescue. They rehome only healthy, carefully bonded, properly sexed and guaranteed not pregnant piggies whose personalities they know, so you can neatly avoid all the usual pitfalls for the unwary! A good rescue will also support you with advice during the settling in period and the whole life of any of their piggies. We have a list of (vetted) recommendable good standard rescues for Britain.

You will find lots of information about cages and hutches in our housing section, as well as get the latest low down about good deals from our bargain savvy members.

You may find this thread here informative in terms of what you have to consider when thinking abut getting guinea pigs. The prices are a bit out of date, but not that much: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?36801-FAQ-Are-Guineas-Pigs-for-Me

Please do not hesitate to ask any qestions you may have to specific areas in a our care section.
 
Hello! Welcome to the forum. It's a great place for advice before and after you get piggies as you never stop learning about them.

Here are a few links to stickys that will help

general -
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?36801-FAQ-Are-Guineas-Pigs-for-Me

Food and Diet -
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?42-Vegetables-Shopping-List

Behavior (This section has 4 stickys at the top detailing Sow and Boar behavior) - http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?21-Behaviour

In Answer to your question, if you are starting off with a pair of piggies

1) A cage for indoors of a hutch meeting minimum space requirements, something like a Ferplast 120 is fine for a pair of piggies but always get the biggest you can, more space equals happier pigs. We have recently gone for a C&C cage which are spacious but they have no roof so you need to take that into account if you have dogs,small children etc... pre made kit webistes I have found are: http://correxcages.weebly.com/ which kimlou5288 on here runs and http://www.candccages.co.uk/
A hidey house each, Bedding-either Woodshavings, fleece, vetbed, Water Bottles, A run for indoors or out-Exercise time is really important as piggies like lots of space to run around and play with each other, Food bowl, Food Unlimited Hay, Veggies and Dry pellets, Toys- Fleece cosies or sacks to lie in, Chubes to run through that sort of thing.

2) It is personal preference, we have always had girls and some people go for boys. Both sexes are great.

3) Research finding a cavy savy vet in your area, it helps to be prepared in case piggies ever get ill. It took us 3 vets before we found an experienced vet who had knowledge of piggies. This map shows you recommended vets form users of this forum http://goo.gl/maps/UwUIU

Rescue is a great way of getting piggies and they will often already be bonded with each other when you get them, The Piggy Bank is a network of rescues that adhere to high standards of care, here is a link to piggy bank recommended rescues in the country, it will be worth getting in touch with your local one when you feel the time is right for you to get guinea pigs https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

Hope this helps and once again welcome to the forum
 
Hi,
Thank you all for your great advice. Sorry I'm a little late replying, I've just found out we're moving next week! Much sooner than we anticipated, but it does mean I can get the piggies sooner rather than in many months time. Woo!
I'm from Grimsby, UK. There is one rehoming shelter around here, and last time I checked there were no guinea pigs. There are a few pet shops and a pets at home. There seems to be quite a lot of dislike for pets at home, I was wondering why this is? I've never bought an animal from there, or really any pet stuff.



Thank you! xx
 
Hi! Unfortunately, there is no good rescue that we can vouch for close to you, but it is really worth going that bit further to pick up piggies from a good rescue that you can be assured won't give you any problems and a steep and often expensive learning curve! Barnsley is not that far from you when you get peace of mind and support as well as some gorgeous piggies that will allow two more piggies in need of expert care take their place - and get a good home at the end, too!

Considering how often we are confronted on the forum with fighting or fallen-out boar pairs and trios that have been bought for looks and not character compatibility; freshly bought piggies with ringworm, mites or respiratory infections; teenage pregnancies due to mis-sexing or not separating the baby piggies properly during the transport from rodent farms on the continent to British shops (or not separating piggies in shops); misinformation on cage size and correct care through ignorant personnel etc., we greet the news of anybody coming on here telling us happily that they have just got two ever so cute little piggies from that shop chain with a rather deep sigh!
Just have a look through our pregnancy or behaviour sections, or do a search for ringworm, and you will see what I am talking about. It is always very upsetting for all of us when a baby piggy dies unnecessarily from illness (they can go downhill extremely quicky when they are sold with too low a body weight to cope with the massive upheavals they are going through), boars have to be found new homes because their upset owners haven't got the space to cope with two separate cages or an unplanned pregnancy goes haywire with dead babies or at worst, mummy dying as well.

It is also a sad fact that by now well over half of the piggies ending up in rescue in this country have started out in pets@home in some way or other, and the percentage is mounting. This country has a massive problem with too many cheaply available pets that are treated like disposable toys - the heap of unwanted pets is growing with each year!
For pets@home, small animals are a convenient cheap lure to bring in impulse buyers who are then going on to buy food and bedding in the shop - that is where the money lies. Animal welfare is not of prime interest, nor is careful breeding.

The next problem is that - like with rescues - there are no regulations for who can call themselves breeder, and you get the same set of problems again (look through the recent intros...) Most of the really good breeders will not sell to the public and let their pampered and well cared for piggies only go to persons known to them. By buying a piggy from a shop or breeder, you only support them in importing or breeding yet more piggies to add to the growing pet flood.

If you can, get your piggy stuff from an independent pet shop that doesn't sell pets or online.
 
Last edited:
Wow that is really awful there are three independent pet shops in Grimsby, Barnsley is quite a while away which I'm okay with doing but will the guinea pigs be okay travelling that far?
I have a friend that works at Pets at Home, and she is a total animal lover. Although when I was speaking to her, she had caught ringworm since working there which concerned me as it must mean the animals have them? :|

Sorry for the million questions, is there anyway to get the compatibility of two guinea pigs before bringing them home to reduce them fighting, and hopefully getting a pair that will get on. I was initially only having one guinea pig, but has seen from researching that two seems to be the way to go to keep them happy.

xx
 
justkimberley said:
Wow that is really awful there are three independent pet shops in Grimsby, Barnsley is quite a while away which I'm okay with doing but will the guinea pigs be okay travelling that far?
I have a friend that works at Pets at Home, and she is a total animal lover. Although when I was speaking to her, she had caught ringworm since working there which concerned me as it must mean the animals have them? :|

Sorry for the million questions, is there anyway to get the compatibility of two guinea pigs before bringing them home to reduce them fighting, and hopefully getting a pair that will get on. I was initially only having one guinea pig, but has seen from researching that two seems to be the way to go to keep them happy.

xx
Click to expand...
To be honest, the best way to try to avoid fall outs and find a pair of piggies that get along together is via a reputable rescue, if you purchase a pair of babies from any pet shop you will have no way of knowing what their personalities will be like. With pigs that are in rescues, the rescue owner will be able to tell you all about the pigs in their care, their likes and dislikes, ages etc. etc. - this alone in my eyes is worth it's weight in gold. Sadly as has already been mentioned, lots of pet shop pigs come with health issues, ringworm being just one of them. In the last month alone I have been approached by 3 people who have purchased pigs from pet shops thinking they were a same sex pair only to find they had one of each, and often not realising until babies had appeared and sadly mum was then immediately pregnant again because dad hadn't been removed in time. As regards travelling, pigs are fine to transport, lots of rescue pigs travel the length of the country to find a secure rescue space, as long as a bit of planning is put in place. Get yourself a secure carrier, line it with a thick layer of newspaper, I tend to use puppy pads on top of this as they are super absorbent and then add some hay. You can also make up a packed lunch of wet veggies to keep them hydrated during the journey, things like melon and cucumber are great for this - you can add a water bottle but this is probably best removed when you are actually on the move as they tend to leak. When it comes to pigs, 2 is definitely better than 1 as they are very sociable little creatures and love a friend of their own kind.
 
Hello all,

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the above information - I too am getting some piggies soon, and I am doing lots of research beforehand! I was wondering, do you know of any rescues in the Devon area? I live just outside of Exeter, and I'm having trouble finding somewhere, especially as I see that Little Brambles has just closed :( At the moment I have located a rescue in Cornwall, close to Plymouth and I am arranging to go down there for a visit. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated though!

I wanted to get a C+C cage but unfortunately I don't quite have enough room at the moment, so I am getting a Ferplast 120 cage, and then I am going to get a playpen for the piggies to go in during the day so that they have the space to run around. Do you think this will be ok?

Thanks
Emily
 
Travelling is not actually not a major problem; piggies will usually just fall asleep, especially with a full tummy.
I have travelled with piggies between 7 weeks and 9 years old for over 3 hours on the train on several occasions and I am going to pick up a couple of youngsters from West Yorkshire later this month - that is another 3 1/2 hour train journey (I don't have a car).
By car, we have travelled for 6 hours each way (with a grass break or two) for a holiday and numerous times for 2 hours each way for weekends with my late mother-in-law. Karonus has been taking his piggies on caravanning trips for years now!

We can give you tips on how to best travel with piggies.
 
emilyrose1239 said:
Hello all,

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the above information - I too am getting some piggies soon, and I am doing lots of research beforehand! I was wondering, do you know of any rescues in the Devon area? I live just outside of Exeter, and I'm having trouble finding somewhere, especially as I see that Little Brambles has just closed :( At the moment I have located a rescue in Cornwall, close to Plymouth and I am arranging to go down there for a visit. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated though!

I wanted to get a C+C cage but unfortunately I don't quite have enough room at the moment, so I am getting a Ferplast 120 cage, and then I am going to get a playpen for the piggies to go in during the day so that they have the space to run around. Do you think this will be ok?

Thanks
Emily
Click to expand...

Good on you for doing your research first! With Little Brambles closing, we are unfortunately all at sea for the Southwest when it comes to rescues we are absolutely sure provide good care at all stages and are safe to use. :(
There are three recommendable rescues in the Bristol area, which is the next closest area that has the best traffic links for you. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

You should be fine with a 120cm cage plus daily run time.

With boars, getting an already well bonded stable pair really makes all the difference in terms of fights and fall-outs. The key to any happy piggy bond is character compatibility - boars have only got such a press because most places cannot be bothered with it. You will also get the support of the rescue in case things don't work out as planned, so you won't be left with a mess to sort out yourself in any case!
 
Thanks Weibke - I will definitely look at the recommended rescues - especially now I know that the piggies won't mind a slightly longer car journey! Can I ask (just out of interest!), are the rescues you recommend from personal experience and/or the experience of those on this forum?
 
Kim
There are a few rescues over the bridge, Hull animal welfare and Hull rabbit rescue that also has piggies. There is RSPCA Lincolnshire. A bit further away is Cavy corner in Doncaster. I had a bad experience with pets at home, the animals they sell are often ill and one of mine died. Thankfully Charlotte recovered and is still going strong five years later but I feel guilty thinking where she came from.
:) Rachel
 
Hello Emilyrose1239, Welcome to the forum.

The recommend rescue link is to piggyback rescues. The piggybank is a support network of rescues around the country that meet high standards of care etc.. So you know your piggies are coming from a reputable rescue. Many of the piggyback rescues are on the forum but others aren't.
As Wiebke said a ferplast 120 is fine for 2 piggies, our girls loved theirs. A tip with them is to remove the plastic shelf it gives you more room and make sure you get them a hides house each as piggies like places to sit in separate areas sometimes.
 
emilyrose1239 said:
Thanks Weibke - I will definitely look at the recommended rescues - especially now I know that the piggies won't mind a slightly longer car journey! Can I ask (just out of interest!), are the rescues you recommend from personal experience and/or the experience of those on this forum?
Click to expand...

All recommended rescues on that map have been checked in person by a rescue member from the Piggy Bank volunteer rescue support network after an exhaustive questioning process. The Piggy Bank started out on this forum and I still am a member. I have visited and rehomed from quite a few rescues, but so far not one of those. https://www.facebook.com/piggybank.gpr?fref=ts
 
Excellent - it's great to know that they are carefully vetted by volunteers, and I didn't know that the Piggy Bank started here - what a wonderful resource it is! :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top